Youth Forum taskforce brings together young people and the International Labour Organisation (ILO)

From the 18th to the 19th September ten representatives from our member organisations took part in an ad-hoc taskforce on the creation of quality jobs for young people organised in cooperation with the International Labour Organisation in their headquarters in Geneva.

During the past few years, the European Youth Forum has been intensively advocating for quality jobs for young people - related to the need for good quality internships and to the implementation of the Youth Guarantee. However, in the aftermath of the crisis, these measures cannot be enough to ensure the access of young people to quality jobs and subsequent social inclusion. Targeted measures should be included into a broader vision related to job creation. Indeed, the high unemployment rate of young people is the result of two main macroeconomic events: the financial crisis, but also the response to that crisis over recent years at different levels in the European Union. A debate on the role and the direction of macroeconomic policies is now necessary.

Over the two days, representatives from our member organisations discussed with the experts from the ILO what macroeconomic policy choices could be appropriate to encourage the creation of quality jobs for young people. Alternative economic systems that young people would like to contribute to were raised and the discussions confirmed the need to integrate measures - such as the Youth Guarantee - into a more coherent and ambitious approach to youth employment.

The European Youth Forum wants to thank the ILO for the fruitful cooperation and all those that took part in this taskforce. The discussions in Geneva generated some very interesting food for thought for the future discussions and work of the Youth Forum.

Read more:

- Quality jobs for Young people

- Youth organisations and the Youth Guarantee in Europe